The Cheboygan County Fair is now considered a model for other fairs across the state in several categories, after winning three awards at a recent convention.

The fair won first place in three categories, including the best newspaper ad, the best website and the best advertising novelty/ merchandising item, according to Fair Board Marketing Committee Chair Ron Williams.

Members of the fair board attended the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitors on Jan. 10-12 in Grand Rapids and won the awards there. Around 80 fairs statewide participated, although for the competition fairs are placed into one of three divisions based on attendance numbers.

The Cheboygan County Fair competed in Division 1, which is for fairs that have less than 50,000 in attendance each year.

“Most Northern Michigan fairs are in Division 1; we are up against fairs in places like Petoskey and Gaylord, who tend to have deep pockets, so it’s stiff competition,” Williams explained. “The Cheboygan fair has never taken a first in its history. There are eight different awards for each division, so to win three of them is quite an accomplishment.”

Fair Manager Dan O’Henley agreed.

“The fair board is very proud,” said Fair Manager Dan O’Henley. “The awards go to show what hard work and dedication can accomplish. The fair board worked together and put their hearts and souls into every little piece of this event.”

Fairs nominate themselves for the categories by sending in documentation, which is then judged by a panel of representatives from the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitors. Williams said all of the fairs’ submissions for each category are displayed, not just the winners, as a way to give other fairs ideas of what everybody else is doing.

Williams said the winning newspaper ad was designed with the help of the Cheboygan Daily Tribune; the winning merchandising item was a mousepad that was produced by Straits Area Printing. The mousepad was handed out to the public prior to the 2012 fair as a promotional item to draw people into attending.

O’Henley noted that other fairs throughout the state are copying the Cheboygan County Fair’s website.

The fair received a plaque for each category it won, Williams added.

Members of the fair board attend the convention each year to attend educational classes and to consider adding new acts, entertainment, events and vendors.

“It serves as a way to bring vendors and decision-makers together,” Williams explained.

O’Henley has served as the fair manager for 7 years and has served in different capacities on the fair board for 12 years. He added that some new events will be added to the 2013 fair, including a daily interactive show for children and a Battle of the Bands free grandstand event.